dexter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 11 T. O. DEXTER.

PAPER FOLDING ATTACHMENT 1 011 PRINTING P18388118.

1182111178. 1 Patented Sept. 20,1881.

(No Model.) 2' Sheets-Sheet 2.

'T. O. DEXTER.

PAPER FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 247178. Patented Sept. 20,1881.

-1 @Jl .2412, cf

WW 6. @gafig u, PETiRS. Plwlo-Lilhognphon Wnhinglan. o. r;

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

TALBOT o. DEXTER, or nEsMonvEs, IOWA, ASSIGNOR or THREE-FOURTHS TO w. E. ANDREWS, OF sAME PLACE.

PAPER-FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,178, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed November 9, 1880. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TALBOT O. DEXTER, of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Paper- Folding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention contemplates folding printed sheets successively and as rapidly and regularly as they are delivered from the forms of a press by means of folding mechanism attached to the press and automatically operated in concert with the printing mechanism by the driving-power of the press.

It consists, first, in combining a folding-blade direct with the fly of the press, to be automatically operated by thefiy for the purpose of doubling printed sheets and placing them between parallel folding-rollers. Heretofore a bar'or feeder has been connected with a fly by means of an intermediate frame, to be automatically operated through the medium of the frame and the fly; but by connecting a folding-blade direct with the bar of a fly by means of links 1 dispense with an auxiliary frame and relieve the fly from a burdensome weight, and thereby greatly facilitate the movements of the fly .and the.folding-blade carried thereby in accomplishing the regular delivery and folding of the printed sheets; second, in combining 0 my paper-moving and sheet-doubling mechanism with a fly-board, table, or machine having a pair of folding-rollers adapted to receive a sheet when doubled in the center; third, in combining an adjustable bar, adjustable fend- 3 5 ers, and adjustable sheet-stopping gages with folding-rollers, to facilitate the adjustment of the complete machine as required to fold sheets of various sizes at various times; fourth, in formingjournals on the sides of a follower in 0 a paper-packing box, and combining it with a box in such a manner that it will have a vibrating motion, and also a rectilinear motion, to facilitate the moving and packing of the folded papers as they drop successively from 5 the folding mechanism; fifth, in arranging and combining the sheet-doubling device carried on the fly of the press, folding-rollers, sheetcarrying tapes, folding-blades, sheetstopping and sheet supporting and governing devices, driving mechanism, and a packing 5o device, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure l of my accompanying drawings is a sectional view, showing my folding-blade at-. tached to the fly of a press immediately over a pair of rollers mounted in a fly-board or suit. able table. Fig. 2 is a top view of my folding mechanism located under the fly-board or table underneath the fly. The top and parts of the operating devices are broken away to disclose the relative positions and functions of all the combined elements. Fig. 3 is a side view taken from the right side of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end view taken from the lower sideof Fig 2. Fig. 5 is an end view taken from the top side of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail. View of one of my folding-blades and of one of the cams that operate my series of blades in succession, as required to make successive-- folds in a sheet.

A in Fig. l'repre'sents the frame of a printing-press; B, the fly, and O a fly-board or table.

d is a folding-blade, detachably connected with the center bar of the fly B by means of links d, or in any suitable way that will allow the blade to drop or move downward when the fly swings downward, and to fold close to and 'within the fly when the fly assumesa "ertical position. i

01" represents a spring connected with the rear end of the suspended folding-blade d and the floor or some fixed object by means of a flexible strap, or in any suitable way, forthe purpose of aiding in folding and unfolding the blade d relative to the fly B, with which it is v detachably connected.

In place of the spring d, a cam'may be attached to the frame of a press in such a position relative to the fly and the lower end of the folding-blade d that it will engage and operate the said blade.

G G O in Fig. 2, representing the fly-boards and cover of the folding mechanism, rest upon the top of a rectangular frame, I) b b, which is preferably formed in sections, of cast metal, 5 and bolted together.

Nos. 1 and 2 are a pair of rollers, mounted in parallel position near the surface of the flyboard or cover (3, and in such position that theycan beplacedimmediately under the center of the fly and the folding-blade it carried thereby. An opening in the said cover extending the length of the folding-blade allows said blade when it descends to double a printed sheet carried by the fly and to place the doubled center of the sheet between the rollers 1 and 2, as required, to pass the sheet between the. rollers, and thereby complete the first fold in the sheet.

0 is the main drivingshaft of my folding mechanism. It is mounted in suitable bearings formed in or attached to the frame I) b, and has a chain-pulley, c, on its end outside of the frame. p

c is a chain-belt on the chain-pulley 0, that extends to a chain-pulley connected with the driving mechanism of the press, as required, to transmit power and motion from the press to the driving-shaft not the folding mechanism.

e is a minor driving-shaft, mounted in the frame in a right-angled position'relative to the shaft 0, with which it is connected by means of bevel-gearing, as shown.

fis a second minor shaft, mounted in the top portion and right side of the frame to extend in parallel position with the shaft 6 and entirely across the frame.

f represents a chain-belt, that extends over two chain-pulleys that are respectively fixed to the parallel shafts e andf. By thus connecting the two shafts power and motion is transmitted to the shaft f.

fis a chain-belt connecting the shaftf with the shaft of the roller No.1 by means of chainpulleys on the ends of said shafts, as required, to transmit power and motion to rotate the said roller. Nos. 1 and 2 rollers are connected by means of gear-wheels on the ends of their axles, as shown in Fig. 4, and as required to revolve toward each other to move the doubled sheets through downward between the rollers to complete the first fold and to deliver it upon a series of carrying-tapes,'g, that surround the roller No.1, and, passing underneath the roller 'No. 2, are connected with andoperated by a corresponding series of pulleys, gflfixed on the shaft f, as required, to'place the folded sheet in position to have a second fold made at right angles to the first fold. A plate, war, (shown in Fig. 2,) fixed to the frame, extends partly under along the roller No.2, to serve as aguard to prevent sheets from wrappingaround said roller.

Nos. 3 and 4is a second pair of rollers, mounted in adjustable bearings on the frame in a right-angled and central position relative to the rollers Nos. 1 and 2, and in a plane below the tapes 9.

his a folding-blade of elbow shape, as shown in Fig. 6, the horizontal portion of which extends immediately over the rollers Nos. 3 and 4, as required, to double the folded sheet a second time and to start it downward between the .(adapted to be operated said rollers. The rear end of the horizontal portion thereof has an upward bend, adapting the complete blade to be operated over and around the bearings and gearing at the ends of the contiguous and parallel folding-rollers. Said upward bend is in the form of a double elbow, 2 2, as plainly shown in Fig. 6.

h is an adjustable guide and bearer, through which the vertical portion of the blade h extends downward. A slot in the frame b allows a screw-shank on the end of the bearer h to extend outward and to form a bearing for it in which it can be adjusted laterally, as required, to follow the adjustment of the rollers, which is necessary at times to accommodate them to the size and center of the double sheet thatis to be folded a second time.

h is a thumb-nut, by means of which the bearer h is clamped fast to the frame in the slot h. (Shown in Fig. 3.)

71 is an anti-friction roller on the lower end of the elbow-shaped blade, that engages an adjustable crescent-shaped cam, i, that is fixed on the shaftein such a position relative to the rollers 3 and 4 that the horizontal portion of.

the blade will rise and fall between the said rollers at every revolution of the shaft 6 and cam 73, by means of which the blade is actuated to double the sheet a second time and place it between the rollers, to be thereby moved downward upon a second series of carrying-tapes, k, that surround the roller No. 3 and extend laterally under the roller No. 4 to a third pair of rollers, where a third fold is made in the sheet.

Nos. 5 and 6 are the third pair of rollers, mounted in adjustable bearingsin a plane below the rollers 3 and 4, butin parallel position therewith. The bearings of these two pairs of rollers, 3 4 and 5 6, are detaeha-bly and adjustablyconnected'with the frame by means of setscrews that extend through slots in the frame or in any suitable way. Power and motion is communicated to the rollers 4 and 6 from the driving-shaft c by means of chain-pulleys and a chain, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

A second folding device, h h h h h", perpendicularly over and around the. bearings and gearing at the ends of a pair of horizontal folding-rollers and between two series of paper-carrying tapes moving at right angles to each other,) is connected with the shaft 6, having a second cam, 'i, and the rollers 5 and 6, as required, to double the sheet a third time and start it downward between the rollers 5 6 to be carried laterally to a fourth pair of rollers by means of the tapes k, that pass over the roller 5 and under the roller 6 to rollers 7 and 8,.mounted by means of brackets l at the end of the frame I) b. Each one of these elbow-shaped folding-blades h has an upward bend or arch in its angle, and by varying the heights of those arches both blades are adapted to work around the driving-gear on the ends of the rollers, and also around the tape-supporting device, that prevents the first and upper series of sheet-carrying tapes from sagging and interfering with the advance of the sheet on a second and lower series of tapes. I I

No. 7 is a grooved an ti-friction roller, mounted in fixed bearings formed on or attached to thebrackets l,and the tapes it run in its grooves and are guided thereby.

No. 8 is an anti-friction roller mounted in adjustable bearers l, by means of which .the roller is readily adjusted relative to the rollers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, as required, to loosen or tighten the series of continuous tapes k, connected with said series of rollers.

- Nos. 9 and 10 are the fourth pair of rollers,

' through which the sheet is passed to produce a fourth fold in the sheet. They are mounted in adjustable .bearings connected with the frame, and in a right-angled position relative to the rollers 5 and 6. They are connected by gear-wheels on their ends, and motion is imparted thereto by means of a chain and chain pulleys from the shaft 6, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A folding-blade, h, is combined and operated with the rollers 9 and 10 by means of a bracket, m, adjustably fixed to the top portion of the frame, in which bracket slots or bearin gs are formed, through which the vertical portion of the elbow-shaped blade h extends upward, and also by means of a hinged lever, m, (shown in Fig. 4,) that has a branch, m, extending to a cam, 'i, on the end of the shaft 6. This lever m is hinged to the frame by means of a block or bracket, n, and is flexibly connected with the elbow-shaped folding-blade, that rises and falls in its hearings in the bracket m, and has an anti-friction roller at the lower end of its branch, where it is connected with the cam t and'shaft e, from which shaft motion is imparted at each revolution of said shaft to vibrate the lever and actuate the folding-blade, as required, to make a fourth fold in the sheet and start it downward between the rollers 9 andlO, to be disposed of in a delivery-box.

1' (shown at the bottom of Fig. 2) is a 'bar adjustably connected with the frame by means of brackets r.

1' are fenders fixed to the bar 1' at their ends to extend horizontally towardand partly over the roller No. 6, for the purpose of receiving the folded sheet as it is carried over the rollers 5 and 6 by means of the series of tapes k, as required, to bring its center immediately under the folding-blade ii, that will double it again and start it downward between the said rollers.

8 (shown in Figs. 2 and 4) is a bar extending across the frame I) b, to which its ends are fixed, in such position relative to the series of tapes g that a series of fenders, 8, extending downward from the bar will arrest the further movement of the sheet carried on said tapes.

t t represent a series of fenders adjustably connected with the bar 'r (shown in Fig. 2) in such a manner that they can be readily adjusted relative to therollers Nos. 3 etand 5 6, as required,

angles thereto.

to stop the movement of the sheet carried by the series of tapes k at the proper point to allow the same to be doubled in its center by the folding-blade h and started downward between the rollers 5 and 6.

w (shown in Figs. 2 and 3) is a rod connected with the adjustable bearings of the rollers 3 and 4 in such a manner that it will extend laterally from the rollers and through the frame to receive a thumb-nut on its end, by means of which it can be drawn out and in to adjust the said bearings and rollers. Anti-friction rollers placed loosely on this rod to serve to hold up the tapes g, as required, to prevent them from sagging, and allowing the sheet carried thereby from coming into contact with the blade h, that,by means of the upward bend or arch in its angle,is adapted to work around the rod 10, and co-operates with the rollers 5 and 6.

D (shown in Fig. 4) represents a deliverybox in the form of a trough placed immediately under the rollers 9 and 10 and at right One of the sides of this elongated box may be adjustably connected, so that it can be moved laterally relative to the other fixed side, as required, to correspond with the size of the folded sheets dropped into it from between the rollers 9 and 10, where the last fold was completed.

Gr is a loose block that slides in the box D. Its rear end is inclined, and the folded papers that accumulate in the box rest against the inclined end of the block.

H is a vibrating follower that is pivoted in the box by .means of journals extending outward therefrom and through horizontal slots a formed in the sides.

I is a jointed lever, flexibly connected with the follower H, and pivoted to the frame of the machine in such a position relative to the shaft 6 that a curved bar, J, fixed to the short arm of the pivoted and jointed lever I will engage a cam, J, fixed 011 the shaft 0. Every revolution of said shaft e will cause the cam J to actuate the jointed lever and vibrating follower H, connected therewith, as required, to place the folded papers consecutivelyinto an inclined position against the inclined end of the block G, which holds up the column of papers packed against it and recedes as the number of papers increases.

a is a spring fixed to the base of the box D, and also to the lever I, in such position that the spring will draw back the follower J and reverse its inclination when the pressure that moves the follower forward is relaxed.

I am aware inclined followers or plungers have'been operated in a packing-box; but my manner of imparting a vibrating motion to the follower to facilitate the moving and packing of the folded sheets is novel and advantageous.

operation and utility of the complete machine clearly demonstrated.

I I claim as my invention- 1. The sheet-doubling device consisting of a folding blade, (7, links (1, and a spring, d, in combination with the fly of a printing-press, substantially as shown and described, to operate in the manner set forth.

2. The paper moving and doubling mechanism consisting of the fly B, the folding-blade d, the links d, and the spring (1, in combination with a pair of folding-rollers mounted in a fly board, stand, or frame, and adapted to receive the sheet delivered by the fly and to complete the fold started bythe folding-blade, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the adjustable folding-rollers Nos. 5 and 6, the adjustable bar 1', the adjustable fenders 1', and the adjustable sheet-stopping gages t,su bstantially as shown and described, for the purposes specified.

4. The packing-box D, having slots at in its sides, the follower H, havingjournals extending through said slots at, thejointed lever I J, the spring a, and the cam J on the shaft 6, arranged and combined substantially as shown and described,'to operate in the manner set forth, for the purposes specified.

5. The paper folding and packing attachment for printing-presses, consisting of the following groups of operative devices and subcombinations, to wit: the sheet-doubling device d d 01, carried by the fly of the press; the folding-rollers Nos. 1 and 2 the series of sheet carrying tapes 9 and operative pulleys g on the shaftf, and sheet-stopping device 8 s; the adjustable rollers Nos. 3 and at and an adjustable fo1ding-blade,h; the rollers Nos. 5 and 6, 7 and 8, carrying-tapes k, folding-blade h, and

tape-supporting device 20 w; the sheet supporting and governing devices 'r 1" r tt; the rollers Nos. 9 and 10 and the pivoted lever mm, carrying a folding-blade; the packing-box D a, follower H, jointed lever I J, springa, and cam J, and the driving-shaftscc, all arranged and combiued relative to' each other and a printingpress substantially as shown and described, to operate in concert as set forth.

' TALBOT O. DEXTER. Witnesses:

A. R. FULTON, W. Y. TOWN. 

